U.S. patent application number 13/161665 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-14 for sequential sampler for runoff water.
Invention is credited to Yong Je Kim, Bong Joo Lee.
Application Number | 20120144936 13/161665 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45943785 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120144936 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Bong Joo ; et
al. |
June 14, 2012 |
SEQUENTIAL SAMPLER FOR RUNOFF WATER
Abstract
A sequential sampler for runoff water. The sampler includes a
rail member installed to be sloped downward in one direction; a
plurality of storage members that move to a downward direction of
the rail member; a stopper installed at a middle portion of the
rail member that intermits a movement of the storage members; a
device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage
cylinder that drops runoff water inside of the storage member stood
by at a front portion of the stopper and drops the storage cylinder
of the storage member stored with the runoff water after elapsing a
predetermined time; and an intake pump of runoff water.
Inventors: |
Lee; Bong Joo; (Daejeon,
KR) ; Kim; Yong Je; (Daejeon, KR) |
Family ID: |
45943785 |
Appl. No.: |
13/161665 |
Filed: |
June 16, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
73/864.31 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N 1/18 20130101; G01N
1/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
73/864.31 |
International
Class: |
G01N 1/00 20060101
G01N001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 17, 2010 |
KR |
10-2010-0091873 |
Claims
1. A sequential sampler for runoff water, comprising: a rail member
(10) installed to be sloped downward toward one direction; a
storage member (20) that moves in downward direction of the rail
member (0) and is configured of a storage cylinder (21) that forms
a coupler unit (25) at an upper end portion of the storage member
(20); a stopper (30) installed at a middle portion of the rail
member (10) to intermit a transfer of the storage member (20); a
device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage
cylinder (40) disposed at a front portion of the stopper (30) to
inflow runoff water to the storage member (20) and to separate the
storage cylinder (21) of the storage member (20) stored with runoff
water; and an intake pump (50) to collect and provide runoff water
for the device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of
storage cylinder (40).
2. The sampler according to claim 1, wherein the storage member
(20) comprises: the storage cylinder (21) provided with a shutter
(22) at a lower end portion of the storage member (20); the coupler
unit (25) comprising a plug (23) coupled integrally at an upper end
portion of the storage cylinder (21), and a socket (24)
correspondingly and detachably coupled with the plug (23); a driver
(28) formed rotatable and extended to both sides of the socket (24)
to correspond with the rail member (10); and a wire (29) connecting
the socket (24) and the storage cylinder (21).
3. The sampler according to claim 1, wherein the device of
supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage cylinder (40)
comprises: an electric actuator unit (41) that moves up and down;
and an inlet (43) that operates up and down movement together with
the electric actuator unit (41) at a lower end portion of the
electric actuator unit (41), and moves down to press and separate
the socket (24) of the connecting member from the plug (23).
4. The sampler according to claim 1, wherein the stopper (30)
comprises: a path way (31) open in vertical direction at a middle
portion of the stopper (30), and the path way (31) has a width (W)
smaller than a diameter (D) of the storage cylinder (21) so that
the storage member (20) passes, only when the storage cylinder (21)
is separated and dangled at the socket (24) of the coupler unit
(25) by the wire (29).
5. The sampler according to claim 3 further comprising; a
controller (60) that sequentially samples and collects runoff water
at the plurality of storage members (20) in a predetermined time
interval set by a user through controlling moving up and down
operation of the electric actuator unit (41), according to whether
there is rainfall or not.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0091873, filed
on Sep. 17, 2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a sampler, capable of
sampling runoff water sequentially according to a predetermined
time interval.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] To recycle rain water as alternate water resources and to
reduce inflowing of nonpoint pollution to rivers or underground by
surface runoff, runoff water quality must be managed and maintained
to be above a certain level. For this, research on the first flush
phenomenon is necessary. The first flush is a phenomenon that is
associated with the occurrence that the first portion of stormwater
runoff is the most contaminated. Therefore, research of
water-treatment or separating and excluding initial stage runoff is
actively conducted.
[0006] To accurately analyze variations of rainwater qualities with
time, it needs to sample rainwater, at regular intervals, from the
point of time when rainfall starts to the point of time when
rainfall stops, and a sealing of sample bottle to prevent
evaporation of collected runoff water sample and loss of volatile
organic compounds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] To solve the above problems, it is therefore an object of
the present invention to provide a sequential sampler for runoff
water, capable of automatically sensing rain outflow from ground
surface and sampling the runoff water sequentially according to a
predetermined time. When it rains, a plurality of storage members
are allowed to move downward along a downward-sloped rail member. A
stopper is installed at a middle portion of the rail member. An
electric actuator separates a storage cylinder apart from the
storage member so that only the storage member separated with the
storage cylinder passes the stopper. That is, the object of the
present invention is to provide a sequential sampler for runoff
water that performs a continuous process of sampling runoff water
according to a users predetermined time by performing a process of
passing the storage member separated with the storage cylinder
through the stopper. The storage cylinder and the storage member
are connected by hydraulic coupler. Therefore, the separation of
storage cylinder from the storage member means a separation of a
socket and a plug of the hydraulic coupler, which acts as a means
to seal the storage cylinder.
[0008] The objects and advantages of the present invention will be
described below and will be known by embodiments of the present
invention. The objects and advantages of the present invention will
be embodied by the means and its combinations represented in the
claims.
[0009] The present invention, a sequential sampler for runoff water
as means to solve above problems includes: a rail member (10)
installed to be sloped downward toward one direction; a storage
member (20) mounted to the rail member (10) that moves in downward
direction and is configured of a storage cylinder (21) formed with
a coupler unit (25) at an upper end portion of the storage member
(20); a stopper (30) installed at a middle portion of the rail
member (10) to intermit a transfer of the storage member (20); a
device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage
cylinder (40) disposed at a front portion of the stopper (30) to
inflow runoff water to the storage member (20) and to separate the
storage cylinder (21) of the storage member (20) completed with
runoff water inflow; and an intake pump (50) to supply and provide
runoff water for the device of supplying runoff water and inducing
drop of storage cylinder (40).
[0010] Further, the storage member (20) includes; the storage
cylinder (21) provided with a shutter (22) at a lower end portion
of the storage member (20); the coupler unit (25) including a plug
(23) coupled integrally at an upper end portion of the storage
cylinder (21) and a socket (24) correspondingly and detachably
coupled with the plug (23); a driver (28) formed rotatable and
extended to both sides of the socket (24) to correspond with the
rail member (10); and a wire (29) connecting the socket (24) and
the storage cylinder (21).
[0011] Further, the device of supplying runoff water and inducing
drop of storage cylinder (40) includes; an electric actuator unit
(41) that moves up and down; and, an inlet (43) that operates up
and down movement together with the electric actuator unit (41) at
a lower end portion of the electric actuator unit (41) and moves
down to press and separate the socket (24) of the connecting member
from the plug (23).
[0012] Further, the stopper (30) includes a path way (31) open in
vertical direction at a middle portion, the path way (31) has a
width (W) smaller than a diameter (D) of the storage cylinder (21)
so that the storage member (20) passes only when the storage
cylinder (21) is separated and dangled at the socket (24) of the
coupler unit (25) by the wire (29).
[0013] Further, the device of supplying runoff water and inducing
drop of storage cylinder (40) includes; a controller (60) that
sequentially samples and collects runoff water in the plurality of
storage members (20) at a predetermined time interval set by a user
through controlling moving up and down operation of the electric
actuator unit (41), according to whether there is rainfall or
not.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent by describing in detail
exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached
drawings in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a sequential
sampler for runoff water according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a storage member
and a device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage
cylinder according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a separation of a storage
cylinder by device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of
storage cylinder according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a front view of FIG. 3; and
[0019] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an operation of the sequential
sampler for runoff water according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMBERS OF MAJOR ELEMENTS
TABLE-US-00001 [0020] 10: rail member 20: storage member 21:
storage cylinder 22: shutter 23: plug 24: socket 25: coupler unit
27: roller 28: driver 29: wire 30: stopper 31: path way 40: device
of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage cylinder 41:
electric actuator unit 42: power supply 43: inlet 44: bypass pipe
45: control valve 46: inlet hose 50: intake pump 51: rainfall
sensor 60: controller
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Before describing the various embodiments according to the
present invention, it will be understood that the application shall
not be limited by the details of the configuration and arrangement
of the elements set forth in the following detail description of
drawings. The present invention may be realized in various other
embodiments and may be performed in diverse methods. It will be
understood that the terms such as directions of devices or elements
(for example "front", "back", "up", "down", "top", "bottom",
"left", "right", "lateral" and so on) and the like are used to
simplify the explanation of the present invention and shall not be
interpreted as having meaning that related devices or elements
should have such particular directions. Further, the terms like
"first" and "second" used in the specification and claims for
explanation are not intended to represent or mean a relative
importance or any other purpose.
[0022] The present invention has following characteristics to
accomplish the object described above.
[0023] The present invention will now be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. It will be
understood that words or terms used in the specification and claims
shall not be interpreted as the meaning defined in commonly used
dictionaries. It will be further understood that the words or terms
should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with
their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the technical
idea of the invention, based on the principle that an inventor may
properly define the meaning of the words or terms to best explain
the invention.
[0024] Accordingly, since the embodiments set forth in the present
specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings
are shown by way of example and do not represent all the
technological spirit of the present invention, it should be
understood that embodiments of the present invention are capable of
various modifications, equivalents, and alternatives at the time of
present application.
[0025] Hereinafter, a sequential sampler for runoff water according
to a preferable embodiment of the present invention will be
described in detail referring to FIGS. 1 through 5.
[0026] As illustrated, the sequential sampler for runoff water
includes a rail member (10), a storage member (20), a stopper (30),
a device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of storage
cylinder (40), an intake pump (50) and a controller (60).
[0027] The rail members (10) formed of plural rows of rails (11)
face each other with a certain gap of separation. Such rail members
(11) are sloped downward in one direction to move the storage
member (20) to be described later downward along the rail member
(10).
[0028] Height of either end of the rail member (10) can be
controlled to adjust a downward angle of the rail member (10).
[0029] The said storage member (20) is to move downward along the
said rail member (10) and formed of a storage cylinder (21), a
coupler unit (25), a driver (28) and a wire (29).
[0030] The storage cylinder (21) that stores runoff water has
circular round pipe shape open at its opposite ends. A shutter (22)
of cover type capable to be open and closed is detachably coupled
at a lower end portion of the storage cylinder (21) for discharge
of runoff water stored inside or for convenient cleaning.
[0031] The coupler unit (25) is coupled at an upper end portion of
the storage cylinder (21). The coupler unit (25) includes a plug
(23) coupled integrally at an upper end portion of the storage
cylinder (21) and a socket (24) detachably coupled with the plug
(23). When the socket (24) and the plug (23) are coupled, the
socket (24) and the plug (23) are communicated. Then, the socket
(24) coupled at the upper end portion of the coupler unit (25)
becomes to have an open shape and allows the runoff water to inflow
and be stored inside the storage cylinder (21). When the socket
(24) is separated from the plug (23) of the storage cylinder (21),
one end portion of the socket (24) is sealed and operated to shut
the runoff water inflow and leak off. A detail description of the
coupler unit (25) is omitted since it is a known art.
[0032] The driver (28) is formed extended to both sides of the
socket (24) to detachably couple with the plug (23) of the storage
cylinder (21). In detail, the driver includes; a plurality of
support bodies (26) formed extended to both sides from an outer
circumference surface of the socket (24); and rollers (27) formed
rotatable at end portions of the plurality of support bodies
(26).
[0033] That is, the plurality of rollers (27) is installed to
correspond with the plural rows of rails (11) respectively so that
the storage member (20) can move in a length direction of the
downward-sloped rail member (10).
[0034] Opposite ends of the wire (29) are fixed at an outer
circumference surface of the said socket (24) and an outer
circumference of the storage cylinder (21) storing the runoff
water. When the storage cylinder (21) formed with the plug (23) is
separated from the socket (24) and falls down, the wire (29) formed
for the storage cylinder (21) to be dangled after falling down a
certain distance enables the storage cylinder (21) to pass through
the stopper (30).
[0035] The stopper (30) is installed upright at a middle portion of
the said rail member (10) to intermit a movement of plural storage
members (20) moving along the downward direction of the rail member
(10).
[0036] In more detail, after intermitting a movement of the plural
storage members (20) moving downward along the rail member (10) at
a front portion of the stopper (30) to sequentially stand by the
plural storage members (20) at the front portion of the stopper
(30), the runoff water starts to inflow into from the first
intermitted storage member (20), then, the plug (23) of the storage
cylinder (21) is separated from the socket (24) and moves to a rear
portion of the stopper (30).
[0037] For this, a path way (31) is formed open in vertical
direction at a middle portion of the stopper (30). The path way
(31) has a width (W) smaller than a diameter (D) of the storage
cylinder (21) so that the storage member (20) cannot escape the
path way (31) but stops in front of the open path (31) of the
stopper (30).
[0038] Then, into an open upper portion of the storage cylinder
(21) where the socket (24) and the plug (23) are connected, the
runoff water inflows by the device of supplying runoff water and
inducing drop of storage cylinder (40) (to be described later).
After elapsing a predetermined time, the socket (24) and the plug
(23) are separated. Then, the storage cylinder (21) falls down and
is dangled to the socket (24) by the wire (29).
[0039] The storage cylinder (21) that could not pass the path way
(31) is now in a dangled state by being disposed lower that the
stopper (30) that blocked the storage cylinder (21). Then, the wire
(29) that connects the storage cylinder (21) and the socket (24) is
disposed at the front portion of the path way (31) to pass the path
way (31), and eventually the storage member (20) passes the stopper
(30).
[0040] The passed storage member (20) moves along the
downward-sloped rail member (10) is caught and stopped at a lowest
end of the rail member (10). Then, after repeating the above
operation and passing the stopper (30), the other storage members
(20) also stop at the one end of the rail member (10).
[0041] The device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop of
storage cylinder (40) is installed at a front upper end portion of
the stopper (30) and inflows the runoff water into the said storage
member (20). The device of supplying runoff water and inducing drop
of storage cylinder (40) includes an electric actuator unit (41)
and an inlet (43) to perform a role of separating the plug
integrally coupled with the storage member (20) from the socket
(24).
[0042] The electric actuator unit (41) is installed in a housing
installed with the rail member (10) of the present invention, a
ceiling and the like, downward vertically. The electric actuator
(41) moves up and down. (A separately installed battery or solar
energy is used for a power supply (42.)
[0043] The inlet (43) is open to its lower surface with a hollow
pipe shape and fixedly installed at a lowest end portion of the
electric actuator unit (41). Since the inlet (43) is formed
integrally with the electric actuator unit (41), the inlet (41)
moves up and down to be operated in accompanied motion identical
with the electric actuator unit (41) when the electric actuator
(41) moves up and down.
[0044] The described inlet (43) is disposed close to the upper end
portion of the first storage member (20) that is intermitted its
movement by the stopper (30) and stands by. Particularly, the inlet
(43) is disposed above the socket (24) of the storage member
(20).
[0045] The described inlet (43) performs a role of inflowing the
runoff water to the storage cylinder (21) of the storage member
(20) in a state that the socket (24) and the plug (23) are coupled.
One end of a flexible inlet hose (46) connected to an intake pump
(50), to be described later, is installed at an outer circumference
surface of the inlet (43). The runoff water that inflows from the
intake pump (50) passes the communicated socket (24) and the plug
(23) and is stored inside the storage cylinder (21) after inflowing
to the inlet (43).
[0046] Further, after elapsing a predetermined time to inflow the
runoff water into the storage cylinder (21) preset by a user, the
electric actuator (41) starts an operation of pressing and pushing
the upper portion of the socket (24) by moving down the inlet (43),
thereby the socket (24) coupled with the plug (23) is separated
from the plug (23) and the storage cylinder (21) which upper end
portion is coupled with the plug (23) falls downward.
[0047] In other words, the inlet (43) performs roles of inflowing
the runoff water inside the storage cylinder (21) as well as
separating of the socket (24) and the plug (23).
[0048] The intake pump (50) performs a role of supplying the runoff
water to the said device of supplying runoff water and inducing
drop of storage cylinder (40) during a rainfall.
[0049] The controller (60) is electrically connected with the
electric actuator unit (41), and a rainfall sensor (51) to control
an up and down operation of the electric actuator unit (41),
thereby enabling sequential sampling for runoff water in the plural
storage members (20) in a predetermined time preset by a user.
[0050] As described above, the present invention can sequentially
sample runoff water by perceiving rainfall through automatically
operating the sequential sampler for runoff water when rain
falls.
[0051] Further, the present invention can automatically and
conveniently collect samples of runoff water by dividing runoff
water with respect to time, thereby increasing accuracy of the
collected runoff water quality analysis.
[0052] Further, a manual job by an operator is not required for
sequential sampling of runoff water, thereby reducing human and
material resources.
[0053] Further, the present invention seals the storage cylinder
after sampling runoff water, thereby reducing loss from evaporation
of runoff water and volatile organic material.
[0054] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to limited exemplary embodiments and
drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the
art that various changes in form and details may be made therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined by the following claims.
* * * * *